The disease, officially named COVID-19, can make anyone sick regardless of their race or ethnicity. People of Asian descent, including Chinese and Chinese Americans, are not more likely to get COVID-19 than any other person.

"I want to emphasize, right now, to all New Yorkers, it is absolutely unacceptable to discriminate against Asian individuals and Asian communities in the midst of this crisis," New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio added.